Postal and commercial reply-card.



PATENTED APB. 4, 1905.

UNITED STATES l Patented April 4, 1905.

PATENT OEEICE.

POSTAL AND COMMERCIAL REPLY-CARD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 786,436, dated April 4, 1905.

Application filed August 30, 1904. Serial No. 222,712.

To all 'wh/071e it muy concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM GOODMAN, compositor, a citizen of the Commonwealth of Australia, residing at No. 74 Regent street, Paddington, Sydney,in the State of New South Vales, Australia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements Relating to Postal and Commercial Reply-Cards; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to that form of postal and letter card which when sealed will inclose another attached infolded card to be subsequently used as a reply-card. Hitherto such cards have not been associated with devices for identifying the infolded card when sealed nor for ascertaining that the returncard has been detached from an outer card. Neither have suoli cards been furnished with means for postal inspection of both the inner and outer cards, so as to insure that no breach of the postal regulations has been committed by inclosing other matter than is allowed by such regulations.

By means of the present invention prf/mo facie evidence is given when the combined card is posted that the infolded portion exists as an attachment and also thatitis to be used for reply purposes, and, further, when the reply or return card is posted there is likewise evidence that it formed part of an original combined card.

Facilities are likewise provided for inspection, whereby the card may be utilized for commercial purposes at the minimum postal charges.

This invention is alike applicable to lettercards, telegram-forms, commercial cards, circulars,insurance proposals, trade-order forms, postal ballot-papers, municipal rate-papers, Christmas, New Year, Easter, wedding, and invitation cards, cards containing printed matter and illustrations, and such like.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification, Figure 1 is a plan showing the outer sides of a combined infolding postal reply-card made according to this invention. Fig. 2 shows the same card as in Fig. 1 reversed, exhibiting the writing sides and placing it in position for folding. Fig. 3 shows the infolding operation begun. Fig. 4L shows the reply part infolded, also the combined corners infolded. Fig. 5 shows the sealed card ready for the post if arranged in the form indicated by Figs. l to 4. Fig. 6 is a plan of the replycard when detached in position for addressing. Fig. 7 shows the same card as in Fig. 6 reversed in position for folding. Fig. Sshows the reply-card sealed ready for posting. Fig. 9 shows a folded card as in Figs. l to 5 without the turned-down corner.

In this invention the surfaces to be printed upon and to be used for addressing purposes are shown in Fig. l. The primary or outer card A and the secondary or reply card B, although conjoined, are distinctive in character. The triangular infolding piece C is formed partly on each card. The indicator-corner D is upon the reply-card only. The gaps E for inspection and identification purposes are shown upon the reply-card only, but may be formed upon both and maybe in any suitable position. By the lateral compression when folded as shown in Fig. 5 the gaps E are opened to such an extent as is necessary for purposes of inspection. The gaps E may be of any size so as to admit of the entire inner surfaces Al of card A and the inner surfaces B of card B being inspected through them. Surfaces B of card B may be readily inspected, as they are entirely separate along the entire side formed by the fold along the line H. The detachable margins F and F' are obtained by any suitable system of perforations, such as G and Cr, and which would vary according to the design of the card. The central perforations H form the folding and dividing line of the primary and secondary parts, and on Fig. l it extends from the gaps E to the outer edges; but in a card without such gaps the line would be wholly perforated from edge to edge.

The writing-surfaces A and B of the primary and secondary cards have the gummed margins I and l situated as in Fig. 2, so that when the infolding operation is performed, as in Fig. 3, by pressing the triangular piece IOO C inward the surfaces A' and B will be brought into contact, as in Fig. 4, and thel gummed surfaces I will present themselves as the only parts to be sealed, as in Fig. 5. In this figure it is to be observed that the indicator-corner D is exposed to view, and thus the postal authorities cannot be deceived, and the recipient of the card is likewise notified that a replycard is inclosed. It is obvious that when the double fold is made the centrally-situated line X X is the one on which the crease is formed. The card when sealed externally may be inspected at the perforated folded edges I-I and at the gaps E, where the unfoldedcard may be identilied.

In some 'forms of combined cards it may be considered advisable to omit the infolding piece C, in which case a gap of any desired shape may be substituted, providing the indicator-corner D is visible. A side gap J, as in Fig. 9, is also a suitable variation which will allow of the detachable margins F on the primary card being sealed their entire length, as is also indicated by the dotted lines in Figs. 1 to 4L.

The manner of utilizing the secondary or reply card is seen from Figs. 6, 7, and 8. After detachment the infolding part C will form a square corner. The indicator-corner D will appear on the outer face B, the gaps E and serrated edges H Will form the identilication parts, and when the card has been folded in the reverse way to that which it occupied as an inclosed card it may be wholly sealed, as in Fig. 8.

I-Iaving now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with aprimary and secondary card, of an infolding corner common to both cards, and arranged to disclose the eX- istence of the secondary or reply card, as described and illustrated.

2. The combination of a primary card with a secondary or reply card inclosed therein by folding and detachably connected thereto, these cards having an infolding corner common to both of them and arranged to disclose the presence of the secondary card, the latter being also provided with marginal gaps E substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereofl I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribingwitnesses.

IVILLIAM GOODMAN. Titnessesz JOHN J. STONE,

CLARENCE BULTITUDE. 

